In the wake of the recent school shootings, I want to assure our Cheatham County families that we take the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously.

We understand that such events cause worry across our country as well as in our own community. We also acknowledge that recent threats of violence have contributed to greater anxiety.

Please know that daily measures are being taken to ensure our schools are safe places for learning.

Below you will find a list of the continual efforts made by the Cheatham County School District to help protect our students and staff:

• The district and each individual school have a comprehensive crisis plan in place and they are continually reviewed and modified. Each school also has a safety team, and they meet regularly to discuss safety measures.

• Tennessee requires all public schools to complete at least one intruder drill each year and all of our schools are in compliance.

• The district works closely daily with the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies in the county to ensure our schools are safe. The district has ongoing collaborative meetings with various county agencies to review, discuss and plan all response techniques.

• Over the past two weeks, our School Resource Officers have held grade-level safety meetings in all middle schools and high schools for students and staff. Additionally, the presentation was made to all staff in every elementary school. The presentation is based on the CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) model. In partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, the district will be hosting public training similar to what our students and staff have received. More information on the training will be publicized.

• The district has rolled out a new School Safety e-mail tip line. If students, parents or community members know of an unsafe situation in one of our schools, they can e-mail that information to tip@ccstn.org. All information will remain confidential. When making your report, please include as much detailed information as possible because doing so will greatly assist school administrators in investigating and addressing the concerns. Please keep in mind that our tip line is not a method of ongoing communication regarding the status of the reported tip.

• All schools have security cameras with a live feed that can be monitored by the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office, city police departments, fire departments, Cheatham County Emergency Medical Services and Cheatham County Emergency Management Agency.

• Several safety measures are included in the district’s five-year plan, which was adopted in February by the Cheatham County School Board.In the plan, the district wants to increase the number of SROs. Currently, the district has SROs in every high school and middle school. The district is working, in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Office and County Commission, to employ an SRO in every school, including our elementary schools.

• Also included in the five-year plan, the district is working to have secured entrances in all our buildings so access is directed straight into the front office. The district will be conducting a needs assessment for each building.

• The district received a $5 million Project Prevent grant several years ago to address violence prevention and mental health. We partner with Centerstone to provide students with mental health resources and incorporate an evidence-based program called Positive Action.

• The district is developing a standardized method of building entry, sign-in and visitor-tracking. All Cheatham County School District personnel are expected to wear their identification badges at all times.

School safety is everyone’s responsibility. Thank you for doing your part to ensure our schools are a safe place where our students can learn and grow in a caring environment.

As always, we will continue to work to ensure the highest level of safety possible, and we will continue to update you on our progress.

Cheatham County School District does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin or handicap in the operation of its educational programs and activities including employment practices.